This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. A novel phage infecting Escherichia coli was isolated during a large-scale screen for phages that may be used for therapy of mastitis in cattle. The 77,554 bp genome of the phage, named phi32, was sequenced and annotated, and its virions were characterized by electron microscopy and proteomics. Two phi32-encoded proteins that interact with host RNA polymerase were identified. One of them is an ECF-family sigma-factor that may be responsible for transcription of some viral genes. Another RNA polymerase-binding protein is a novel transcription inhibitor whose mechanism of action remains to be defined. Genomic and proteomic analysis of phiEco32, a novel Escherichia coli bacteriophage. Savalia D, Westblade LF, Goel M, Florens L, Kemp P, Akulenko N, Pavlova O, Padovan JC, Chait BT, Washburn MP, Ackermann HW, Mushegian A, Gabisonia T, Molineux I, Severinov K. J Mol Biol. 2008 Mar 28;377(3):774-89.